Provision of location based services

• US 9,361,630 B1
• Filed: 04/01/2010
• Issued: 06/07/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Subrata Goswami
• Original Assignee: Subrata Goswami
• Inventors: Goswami, Subrata
• Primary Examiner(s): Ajibade Akonai, Olumide T
• Application Number:
  US12/752,158
• Time in Patent Office: 2,259 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.1, 455/456.3, 455/456.5, 455/456.6, 455/457, 455/41.2, 342/385
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0252 based on events or environment, e.g. weather or festivals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0261 based on user location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/222 using geographical location information, e.g. messages transmitted or received in proximity of a certain spot or area
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals

Abstract

A method and system for providing location based services to a user are provided. Multiple beacons are strategically positioned in predetermined locations in an environment. The beacons encode and project beacon related information. A client application is provided on the user'"'"'s communication device. The client application captures the beacon related information in one or more communication modes, extracts the captured beacon related information, and sends a request to a service management server for area information and contextual information based on the extracted beacon related information via a communication network. The service management server assembles and transmits area information and contextual information to the communication device based on the sent request from the client application via the communication network. The client application identifies its location and acquires location based services on the user'"'"'s communication device based on the identified location and the transmitted area information and contextual information.

Claims

1. A method of providing location based services and advertisements to a user, comprising:

encoding and projecting beacon related information from a plurality of beacons strategically positioned in predetermined locations in an environment, wherein said beacon related information comprises one or more of location identification information of said beacons, positional coordinates of said beacons within said predetermined locations, signal characteristics of said beacons, antenna type of said beacons, shape of a radiated beam, aperture, transmit power of said beacons, and angular orientation of an antenna of each of said beacons with respect to a geographic north and a ground plane, and wherein said plurality of beacons are configured to communicate with one or more communication devices using a combination of communication modes comprising a radio frequency mode, a sonic frequency mode, an ultrasonic frequency mode, an infrared signaling mode, and an optical signaling mode;

placing one or more environmental sensors on said beacons, wherein said environmental sensors are configured for capturing environmental data of a region surrounding said beacons;

capturing said environmental data of said region surrounding said beacons, by said environmental sensors;

configuring said beacons for periodically transmitting said beacon related information, said captured environmental data and a local time data as one or more beacon frames to delineate a plurality of zones in said environment;

configuring said plurality of beacons for detecting presence of said communication devices when said communication devices enter one or more zones delineated by said beacons, wherein said beacons transmit said beacon related information to said detected communication device;

said communication device being associated with said user, wherein said communication device comprises a client application, wherein said communication device is configured for receiving said beacon related information, said captured environmental data, and said local time data from said beacons in one or more of said communication modes;

said client application configured for detecting one or more of said beacons in proximity of said communication device when said communication device enters one or more zones delineated by said detected one or more beacons, wherein said client application is configured to receive said beacon related information, said captured environmental data, and said local time data from said detected one or more beacons;

said client application configured for extracting said beacon related information, said captured environmental data, and said local time data encoded in said beacon frames, wherein said beacon frames carry said beacon related information that specify and translate to one of local coordinates and global coordinates;

said client application configured for determining characteristics of said communication device, wherein said characteristics comprise one or more of angular orientation of said communication device, type of antenna of said communication device, shape of a radiated beam, and aperture;

said client application configured for sending a request to a service management server for area information and contextual information based on said extracted beacon related information, via a communication network;

said communication device configured for receiving said area information and said contextual information from said service management server, via said communication network;

said client application configured for locating said communication device in said environment based on one or more of said extracted beacon related information, said determined characteristics of said communication device, said received area information and said received contextual information;

said communication device configured for acquiring said location based services and said advertisements based on said identified location, said received area information and said received contextual information; and

said client application correlating said location based services and said advertisements acquired from said service management server with said environmental data received from environmental sensors placed on said beacons and said local time data received from said beacons; and

said client application rendering said correlated data on a display screen of said communication device of said user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said beacons, said service management server and said communication device operate in a mutually agreed upon format for exchanging said area information and said contextual information, wherein said area information and said contextual information are assembled in said service management server, and wherein said client application performs one of rendering, processing, and displaying said assembled area information and said contextual information on said communication device.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising deducing ground position of said communication device by said client application based on said captured beacon related information and said characteristics of said communication device, and said area information and said contextual information acquired from said service management server, wherein said ground position is utilized for acquiring said location based services and said advertisements on said communication device.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising capturing by said communication device a graphical representation of said beacon related information projected by said beacons, wherein said graphical representation comprises an outer section comprising a pattern of elementary shapes and an inner section comprising one or more lines of characters, wherein said client application extracts said beacon related information from said captured graphical representation by optically scanning said graphical representation.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said beacons comprise directional antennas configured to generate direct line of sight paths that produce confined volumes of space for transmitting said beacon related information as one or more beacon frames within zones delineated by said beacons.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said beacons are location beacons, wherein said location beacons transmit a predefined set of location identification information, area information, and contextual information to said communication device via a first communication link, wherein said location identification information identifies location of said communication device, and wherein said communication device communicates with said service management server via second communication links for accessing detailed area information and contextual information.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said beacons are interactive beacons that link said communication device to said service management server for transmitting said area information and said contextual information to said communication device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein each of said beacons employs minimal receiving functionality required for conformance to collision avoidance.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said location based services and said advertisements are rendered by one or more of said client application and said service management server.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising collecting usage statistics on said communication device by said client application and said beacons and periodically transmitting said usage statistics to said service management server.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said communication device remotely accesses said service management server for acquiring said area information, said contextual information, said location based services, and said advertisements.

12. A system for providing location based services and advertisements to a user, comprising:

a plurality of beacons strategically positioned in predetermined locations in an environment, wherein said beacons encode and project beacon related information comprising one or more of location identification information of said beacons, positional coordinates of said beacons within said predetermined locations, signal characteristics of said beacons, antenna type of said beacons, shape of a radiated beam, aperture, transmit power of said beacons, and angular orientation of an antenna of each of said beacons with respect to a geographic north and a ground plane, and wherein said plurality of beacons are configured to communicate with one or more communication devices using a combination of communication modes comprising a radio frequency mode, a sonic frequency mode, an ultrasonic frequency mode, an infrared signaling mode, and an optical signaling mode;

one or more environmental sensors placed on said beacons, wherein said environmental sensors are configured for capturing environmental data of a region surrounding said beacons;

said beacons configured for periodically transmitting said beacon related information, said captured environmental data and a local time data as one or more beacon frames to delineate a plurality of zones in said environment;

said beacons comprising a detection module configured for detecting presence of said communication device when said communication device enters one or more zones delineated by said beacons, wherein said beacons transmit said beacon related information, said captured environmental data and said local time data to said detected communication device;

a service management server comprising an assemble and transmit module for assembling and transmitting area information and contextual information to said communication device based on a request sent to said service management server by a client application on said communication device via a communication network;

said client application on said communication device, wherein said communication device is capable of receiving said beacon related information, said captured environmental data and said local time data from said beacons in one or more communication modes, and wherein said client application comprises;

a capture module for receiving said beacon related information, said captured environmental data and said local time data in said one or more communication modes;

an information extraction module for extracting said captured beacon related information, said captured environmental data and said local time data;

a request module for sending a request for said area information and said contextual information based on said extracted beacon related information to said service management server via said communication network;

a location identification module for locating said communication device in said environment based on one or more of said extracted beacon related information, characteristics of said communication device, and said assembled and transmitted area information;

a service acquisition module for acquiring said location based services and said advertisements on said communication device of said user based on said identified location, said area information and said contextual information transmitted by said service management server; and

a detection module for detecting one or more of said beacons in proximity of said communication device when said communication device enters one or more zones delineated by said detected one or more beacons, wherein said client application captures said beacon related information, said captured environmental data, and said local time data from said detected one or more beacons;

said client application configured for extracting said beacon related information, said captured environmental data and said local time data encoded in said beacon frames, wherein said beacon frames carry said beacon related information that specify and translate to one of local coordinates and global coordinates;

said client application configured for determining characteristics of said communication device, wherein said characteristics comprise one or more of angular orientation of said communication device, type of antenna of said communication device, shape of a radiated beam, and aperture;

said client application configured for locating said communication device in said environment based on one or more of said extracted beacon related information, said determined characteristics of said communication device, and said assembled and transmitted area information;

said communication device configured for acquiring said location based services and said advertisements based on said identified location, said transmitted area information, and said contextual information;

said client application configured for correlating said location based services and said advertisements acquired from said service management server with said environmental data received from environmental sensors placed on said beacons and said local time data received from said beacons; and

said client application rendering said correlated data on a display screen of said communication device of said user.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein said communication device captures a graphical representation of said beacon related information projected by said beacons, wherein said client application extracts said beacon related information from said captured graphical representation by optically scanning said graphical representation using an optical processing module.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein said beacons comprise directional antennas configured to generate direct line of sight paths that produce confined volumes of space for transmitting said beacon related information as one or more beacon frames within zones delineated by said beacons.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein each of said beacons comprises a storage module that stores said predefined set of location identification information, area information, contextual information, and usage statistics, wherein said beacons periodically transmit said usage statistics to said service management server.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein said location identification module deduces ground position of said communication device based on said captured beacon related information and said characteristics of said communication device, and said area information and said contextual information acquired from said service management server for acquiring said location based services and said advertisements on said communication device.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein said client application further comprises:

a beacon information storage unit that maintains a table of detected beacons and stores information for identification of said beacons, positional coordinates of said beacons within said predetermined locations, signal characteristics of said beacons, antenna types of said beacons, frequency, receiver power, transmit power of said beacons, orientation of said beacons, beacon detection time stamps, and type and angular directions of beacon antennas;

a statistics collection module that collects usage statistics on said communication device and periodically transmits said usage statistics to said service management server; and

a locality storage unit that stores area information and contextual information transmitted to said communication device from said service management server for each of one or more zones delineated by said beacons.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein said service management server comprises a hierarchy of servers, wherein a first one of said hierarchy of servers refers at least a second one of said hierarchy of servers, and wherein said communication device contacts and accesses one or more of said hierarchy of servers in a hierarchical order for acquiring said area information, said contextual information, said location based services, and said advertisements.

19. A computer program product comprising computer executable instructions embodied in a non-transitory computer readable storage medium, wherein said computer program product comprises:

a first computer parsable program code for providing a client application on a communication device of a user, wherein said communication device is capable of receiving beacon related information, environmental data captured by environmental devices placed on beacons, and a local time data from a plurality of beacons, and wherein said plurality of beacons are configured to communicate with one or more communication devices using a combination of communication modes comprising a radio frequency mode, a sonic frequency mode, an ultrasonic frequency mode, an infrared signaling mode, and an optical signaling mode;

a second computer parsable program code for capturing said environmental data of a region surrounding said beacons using environmental sensors placed on said beacons, and for capturing said local time data;

a third computer parsable program code for capturing said beacon related information comprising one or more of location identification information of said beacons, positional coordinates of said beacons within said predetermined locations, signal characteristics of said beacons, antenna type of said beacons, shape of a radiated beam, aperture, transmit power of said beacons, and angular orientation of an antenna of each of said beacons with respect to a geographic north and a ground plane, from said plurality of beacons strategically positioned in predetermined locations in an environment;

a fourth computer parsable program code for extracting said captured beacon related information, said captured environmental data and said local time data;

a fifth computer parsable program code for sending a request to a service management server for area information and contextual information based on said extracted beacon related information via a communication network;

a sixth computer parsable program code for locating said communication device in said environment based on one or more of said extracted beacon related information and characteristics of said communication device, and area information assembled and transmitted by said service management server;

a seventh computer parsable program code for acquiring location based services and advertisements on said communication device of said user based on said identified location, said area information and said contextual information assembled and transmitted by said service management server; and

an eighth computer parsable program code for correlating said location based services and said advertisements acquired from said service management server with said environmental data received from environmental sensors placed on said beacons and said local time data received from said beacons, and rendering said correlated data on a display screen of said communication device of said user.